A MATCH MADE IN SHOE HEAVEN!!

A MATCH MADE IN SHOE HEAVEN!!

Caterina Belluardo
Finally, we can bring you all the information from the Caterina Belluardo and Crooked Knitwear collaboration as it has now launched!! If you don't already know Caterina Belluardo then here is some information to get you up to speed. Caterina is a contemporary unisex shoe designer. Despite being Sicilian born, she is now based in London. She is known for working with traditional and classic forms but combines this with unconventional materials...this is the part where we come in.

A Chance Encounter

This collaboration flourished from a chance meeting between Megan and Caterina on the site LinkedIn. It used to be a rarity that Megan checked her LinkedIn but one night she sat down with a coffee and decided to take a look at any recent activity. Immediately she noticed a post from Caterina Belluardo that instantly intrigued. Through further research Megan fell in love with her work and new she had to be a part of this project. After deciding one email wasn't enough Megan sent another in the hope that Caterina would want to collaborate. SUCCESS!! Megan was selected above other knitwear designers to work with Caterina and their collaboration began to blossom!

Off To Work We Go
It took three attempts to get the 24 stitch repeat pattern (technical!) right using a punch card knitting machine. 30 different colorways were then created and sent to Caterina with six of them featuring in the final designs. The pattern contrasted to Crooked Knitwear's paisleys and fairisles boasting geographical chevrons, diamonds and stripes. Despite the colour changes proving to be a challenge the end result was FABULOUS and has opened great opportunity for style directions for us and opened the crooked mind to great heights! Keep a beady eye out for more new exciting work if you know what's good for your sole.

Take a look at some of the snaps from this amazing project...

Some illustrations form Caterina

and some more, she is so talented!!

Before and after pattern

Knitting away

                                                             Two different colouways 

Some photos taken by Megan pre-launch date!

The star of the collection

                                     
On display at London Collections: Men

RESULT!
After some seriously hard work from both Megan and Caterina the shoes featured in the Day 1 Highlights at the London Collections: Men. See if you can spot them 15 seconds in...

WE'RE BACK!!

WE’RE BACK

Oh my gosh!! Due to being fantastically busy, it’s been nearly a year since the last blog post. However, the silver lining, as a result there is now lots of exciting things to share. First off, I’ll introduce myself, my name is Holly and I am the newest member of The Crooked Team, hopelessly devoted to keeping you in the know about what’s happening in the crooked house. You can find me in the new office that Megan has decorated with fabulous parrot wallpaper...

    

So let’s get started with some highlights from 2013…

The Label Fable

In July of last year the new Crooked Knitwear label design was launched and sewed itself into the necklines and hearts of Megan’s designs. If you haven’t already seen the design then here it is…

Hot pick me up!!

Deemed ‘hot picks’ by Instyle and Marie Claire, the Liberty Print Fleece Blazer and the Hand Painted Ladder Top did us proud. Featured in the SEPTEMBER ISSUE of Instyle and Marie Claire. 

 

As if that wasn’t enough, this was then followed up by another ‘hot picks’ appearance from the Liberty Fleece Parka in the OCTOBER ISSUE! Proud moments!

   

I Get Around

Crooked Knitwear has got around!! Megan toured up, down and round the country to events including Barnes Fair, Contemporary Craft & Design Fair, Living Crafts for Christmas, Sparkle, Blackthorpe Barn, Markers Mart and Handmade Christmas at the O2 and Lamar Tree Festival in order to expand the ‘crooked culture’. If you didn’t make it to any of these then be sure to look out for upcoming events we want to see more happy customers…

Smiiiile

Photoshoot in the historical grounds of Repton School not only marked the launch of new products but also a new web design!! Wahoo, finally! Hopefully you have enjoyed using it. A big thanks to Photographer: Bethanie Jane Dennis; Models: Aless Wells, Totty Simpson, Penelope Gwen; MUA: Penelope Gwen; Assisting: Kimberley Moss and Ruixi Guo for their fantastic work. The Florence Coat, the Ashley Cape and the Maple Coat look great here don’t you think?

Design Time

2013 marked the launch of some new goodies including Floral, Houndstooth and Cables patterns that stormed the scene and sat right at home in the range along with previous patterns such as Zebra Stripe Fairisle and Paisley. The new floral pattern in blue and pink looks really tasty…

 

  

Megan has also been dedicating lots of time and effort into becoming a black belt in pattern cutting in order to chop away at just some of the masses of fantastic fabric in her collection!

WOAH! This isn't even all of it...

2014 HIGHLIGHTS SO FAR…

From Town to Town

This year has flown almost as fast as Megan has to events and fairs near you. So far this year these have included: the Contemporary Textiles Fair, Contemporary Craft & Design Fair, Craft in Focus @ Canterbury, Weald of Kent Craft & Design Show, Living Crafts, Art, Design & Innovation and finally Patchings Art and Design Festival. 

Check out the AMAZING view from the Crooked Knitwear stand at the Contemporary Textiles Fair in The Landmark Centre...

 

Fashion Show Glow

Gorgeous girls from Repton School, a beautiful historical building, took to the runway. A great night for the crooked. Here is the running order for the show and some before and after shots....

 Before...

 After...

           

 

Shop to Give

Crooked knitwear is now affiliated with the CFA in order to help do our bit for charity. We are super proud to say that we will be donating 10% of all sales associated with their events to selected charities. Be kind to your conscience and shop to give!!

Money can’t buy happiness but it can buy FABULOUS shoes and that’s kind of the same thing right?

Crooked Knitwear’s collaboration with Caterina Belluardo has been launched!! Stay tuned for our next blog post that will include behind the scenes pics and all the details we have been itching to tell!!

TONS OF EXCITING THINGS TO COME SOON!!